Written Answers Thursday 10 April 2008

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it has met in relation to attempts to secure a reduction in the blood alcohol level permitted when driving.

Kenny MacAskill: I met representatives of the British Medical Association (Scotland) (BMA) at Holyrood on 4 December 2007 as part of the BMA campaign to reduce the drink driving limit.

  In December 2007, I exchanged correspondence with representatives of the BMA, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents on the issue of lowering the drink driving limit.

  I meet regularly with chief constables and other senior representatives of the police in Scotland throughout the year and the drink driving limit is one of many issues that has been discussed

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents involving police there were where alcohol was confiscated from youths in each year from 2002 to 2007, broken down by police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table, which shows all offences recorded under section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997.

  The police have powers under section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 to confiscate alcohol from under 18s in a public place and dispose of it. Under this section, the police also have powers to confiscate alcohol from persons aged 18 or over, in a public place and dispose of it if that person has supplied, or intends to supply, alcohol to under 18s. If the alcohol is surrendered to the police, it is not an offence and so is not included in the recorded crime statistics. It is, however, an offence to fail to comply, for example by failing to surrender the alcohol or by failing to give his name and address if requested. The number of these criminal offences are shown in the table. It should be noted that this cannot be assumed to be a true representation of the number of incidents where alcohol was confiscated.

  Number of Offences Recorded by the Police under Section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997, by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2006-07.

  

 Police Force
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Central
 0
 10
 0
 4
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 1
 0
 28
 4
 1


 Grampian
 1
 2
 12
 2
 3


 Lothian and Borders
 0
 1
 0
 1
 3


 Northern
 0
 2
 1
 1
 2


 Strathclyde
 4
 1
 7
 4
 2


 Tayside
 1
 0
 0
 1
 1


 All Scotland
 7
 17
 48
 17
 13

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure the safe and swift return of missing children.

Kenny MacAskill: There are a range of systems in place to support the safe return of children and young people who have gone missing. Professionals in the health and education sectors along with the police all have processes for identifying and responding to such instances. The sharing of information amongst professionals and across agencies is critical if these processes are to prove fully effective. Through the implementation of the getting it right for every child agenda, we are promoting improved culture, systems and practices to facilitate better inter-agency work across all dimensions. The HM Inspectorate of Education-led joint inspection of child protection services in Scotland specifically monitors how well service providers share information and intervene to protect children at risk, including children who have gone missing.

  Specific recommendations on how best to improve the provision of appropriate services for young runaways are currently under development by the national working group on young runaways.

  The Scottish Government is also consulting from Thurs 10 April 2008 on draft guidance for Safeguarding Children in Scotland who may have been Trafficked which includes principles for partnership working with the police in respect of missing children.

Drug Misuse

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for driving under the influence of drugs, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Figures for driving prosecutions involving drugs alone are not available. However, the number of persons proceeded against for drink or drug driving offences in the years 2003-04 to 2005-06 is given in the following table.

  Persons Proceeded Against for Drink/Drug driving Offences1,2 in Scottish Courts, by Approximate Local Authority3, 2003-04 to 2005-06

  

 Local Authority Area
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Aberdeen City
 66
 73
 68


 Aberdeenshire
 20
 31
 27


 Angus
 25
 18
 27


 Argyll and Bute
 13
 20
 25


 Clackmannanshire
 8
 6
 9


 Dumfries and Galloway
 35
 48
 46


 Dundee City
 58
 36
 23


 East Ayrshire
 41
 46
 44


 East Dunbartonshire
 -
 -
 -


 East Lothian
 25
 14
 10


 East Renfrewshire
 -
 -
 -


 Edinburgh, City of
 87
 94
 91


 Eilean Siar
 8
 9
 6


 Falkirk
 48
 38
 33


 Fife
 74
 84
 58


 Glasgow City
 222
 220
 224


 Highland
 78
 87
 79


 Inverclyde
 30
 30
 20


 Midlothian
 -
 -
 -


 Moray
 21
 20
 15


 North Ayrshire
 -
 -
 -


 North Lanarkshire
 44
 47
 34


 Orkney Islands
 7
 5
 5


 Perth and Kinross
 28
 45
 33


 Renfrewshire
 44
 45
 60


 Scottish Borders
 24
 23
 21


 Shetland Islands
 7
 2
 3


 South Ayrshire
 42
 43
 30


 South Lanarkshire
 78
 89
 113


 Stirling
 27
 21
 24


 West Dunbartonshire
 48
 59
 48


 West Lothian
 48
 32
 51


 Scotland4
 1,256
 1,285
 1,228



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes the offences of driving motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs, in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs, failure to provide a breath specimen at the roadside, and failure to provide a breath, blood or urine specimen at police station.

  3. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.

  4. Includes courts which could not be mapped to approximate local authority areas.

Environment

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support the Earth Hour event taking place at 8.00 pm on 29 March 2008.

Richard Lochhead: We had no specific plans to support the Earth Hour initiative on 29 March 2008. However, we are continuing to consider a range of ideas which we will develop in the context of our Greener Scotland "10 steps" initiative and wider efforts to encourage and support environmentally-responsible behaviour in Scotland. Details about the greener pledges which people can sign up to, and further information can be found at www.infoscotland.com/ourfuture .

Fisheries

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns in the fishing industry about the impact of the rise in marine fuel prices, especially in remote areas.

Richard Lochhead: My officials and I are engaged in on-going discussions with the Scottish industry and the commission regarding our concerns about the impact of the high price of fuel on the fishing industry.

  I have commissioned a report on the trends in fuel prices and the implications this has for our fleets, material which I will share with the industry as I review the potential options available to mitigate the increased cost. Once we have a better understanding of these potential options, I have agreed with Commissioner Borg that our officials will meet to evaluate them against state aid rules.

  In the meantime, I am encouraged that across the nephrops and whitefish fleets, elements of the Scottish conservation credits scheme provide opportunities for skippers to gain some immediate relief. The ability of these fleets to operate under hours at sea rather than days should allow them to save fuel by steaming more slowly to and from their fishing grounds. By so doing fuel consumption while steaming can be reduced by up to 50%, according to a recent seafish report. The simplification of the twin-rig gear rules should also encourage vessels to use lighter, fuel efficient single twine gear.

Livestock

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the need to continue the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme.

Richard Lochhead: Representations on the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme have been received from the Scottish Crofting Foundation and the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers.

Livestock

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme.

Richard Lochhead: No decisions have been taken on the future of the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme and none will be taken ahead of the CAP health check. There will be full consultation on all aspects of the CAP health check after the commission’s legislative proposals are published in May.

Livestock

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact of the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme on the numbers of beef cattle kept in the highlands and islands and, if so, what the findings were.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has commissioned the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) to evaluate the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme. The SAC has yet to report on its findings.

Livestock

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to encourage crofters and farmers in the Highlands and Islands to maintain and expand their beef cattle herds.

Richard Lochhead: Support is already provided for farmers and crofters in the Highlands and Islands through, for example, the single farm payment and the less favoured area support scheme. The Scottish Beef Calf Scheme (SBCS) provides specific support for the beef sector and was introduced in order to sustain quality beef production and protect the environment, particularly in more remote areas. No decisions have been made about the future of the SBCS ahead of the CAP health check. There will be full consultation on all aspects of the health check after the commission’s legislative proposals are published in May.

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 10 March 2008 on the allocations of £38.5 million and £19.2 million funding from the LEADER programme, what the value was of each (a) bid submitted by local action groups in application for that funding and (b) allocation made to such groups under that programme.

Richard Lochhead: Under the Scotland rural development programme, some £38.5 million is available for LEADER throughout Scotland, and an additional £19.2 million will be made available to the Highlands and Islands in convergence funding. Thus far, £31.75 million out of the £38.5 million has been allocated to the 16 bids received in the first round. Convergence funding has not yet been allocated.

  80% of the funding allocated to LEADER local action groups (LAGs) is formula-based. The other 20% is discretionary, and is allocated on the basis of the LAGs’ local development strategy.

  For the 80% tranche, the allocation is proportionate to an area’s share of population on the one hand and surface area on the other. Population accounts for two-thirds of the allocation; and surface area for one third, thereby advantaging the more sparsely populated areas.

  The remaining 20% tranche is based exclusively on a score derived from an independent assessment of the bids received. The scoring criteria can be grouped under four headings, each accounting for 25%: (1) Partnership; (2) Alignment with the SRDP and other Strategies; (3) Leverage and (4) Quality and Realism. These criteria were notified in guidance given to potential local action groups in July last year.

  The following table indicates the bids received from LAGs in the first round and the relevant criteria used to calculate the awards of funding from the LEADER budget.

  

 LAG Name
 Population
Share%
Areakm²
Share%
Bid 
(£ Million)
Share%
Score%
Award 
(£ Million)
Share%


 Shetland
 22,000
 1.75
 1,425
 2.08
 1.50
 3.31
 73.71
 0.63
 1.97


 Orkney
 19,800
 1.58
 974
 1.42
 2.00
 4.41
 73.19
 0.51
 1.61


 Highland 
 146,229
 11.65
 23,315
 33.97
 6.83
 15.08
 75.13
 6.63
 20.87


 Argyll and Islands
 83,172
 6.63
 7,387
 10.76
 3.86
 8.53
 76.45
 2.74
 8.64


 Cairngorms
 16,024
 1.28
 3,800
 5.54
 1.60
 3.53
 65.79
 0.92
 2.90


 Outer Hebrides 
 26,350
 2.10
 3,071
 4.47
 2.80
 6.18
 54.19
 0.94
 2.95


 West Lothian 
 54,292
 4.33
 377
 0.55
 1.90
 4.19
 67.54
 0.98
 3.08


 Rural Tayside
 125,420
 10.00
 6,000
 8.74
 2.00
 4.41
 66.63
 2.00
 6.30


 Aberdeenshire
 147,725
 11.77
 4,819
 7.02
 3.46
 7.63
 64.57
 3.24
 10.20


 Tyne- Esk
 122,291
 9.75
 1,009
 1.47
 2.44
 5.38
 66.44
 2.23
 7.01


 Forth and Lomond
 128,733
 10.26
 2,656
 3.87
 2.91
 6.43
 68.23
 2.63
 8.29


 Dumfries and Galloway
 100,320
 7.99
 6,396
 9.32
 3.41
 7.53
 62.02
 2.75
 8.65


 South Lanarkshire 
 63,466
 5.06
 1,576
 2.30
 3.05
 6.73
 79.44
 1.39
 4.37


 Scottish Borders
 83,740
 6.67
 4,731
 6.89
 3.83
 8.44
 83.21
 2.33
 7.33


 Fife 
 84,146
 6.71
 1,036
 1.51
 1.33
 2.93
 65.79
 1.33
 4.18


 Kelvin Valley 
 31,105
 2.48
 66
 0.10
 2.40
 5.3
 62.85
 0.53
 1.66


 Round 1 total
 1,254,813
 100.00
 68,638
 100.00
 45.30
 100.00
 
 31.75
 100.00

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria (a) have been and (b) will be used when calculating the most recent allocation of LEADER programme funds to be made to each of the local action groups that applied for funding.

Richard Lochhead: 80% of the funding allocated to LEADER local action groups (LAGs) is formula-based. The other 20% is discretionary, and is allocated on the basis of the LAGs’ local development strategy.

  For the 80% tranche, the allocation is proportionate to an area’s share of population on the one hand and surface area on the other. Population accounts for two-thirds of the allocation; and surface area for one third, thereby advantaging the more sparsely populated areas.

  The remaining 20% tranche is based exclusively on an independent assessment of the bids received. The assessment criteria can be grouped under four headings: (1) Partnership; (2) Alignment with the SRDP and other Strategies; (3) Leverage and (4) Quality and Realism. These criteria were notified in guidance given to potential local action groups in July last year.

  The same criteria will be used in allocating funds to LAGs in the second round of LEADER funding which closes to new bids on 30 May 2008.